482. A Fantastic New Year Gift

I’m going on a book tour in southern California soon. Invited by the Flying Tigers WWII Veterans Association, I’ll be one of the two guest speakers at their 78^th Anniversary Reunion in San Diego. Also, I’ll give three presentations in the area and two more around Palm Springs. For more info, please check

My third novel has been accepted for publication! Legacy of the Tigers is the third of the Tiger Saga trilogy—in China’s political chaos, a woman’s struggle to survive and to search for her family and the American pilot she loves. It’ll be published this summer by the same publisher, Open Books.

Two years ago, I was struggling to find a publisher. It was a tedious process. Frustrating. And painful. Looking at all the book covers, I longed to be a published author and see my own book cover among them. Whenever I received a rejection letter, I gave myself permission to eat an ice cream bar. Luckily, I didn’t have to sabotage my weight loss effort for too long.

At the end of January 2018, I received four offers and signed a contract with Open Books for both of my novels at the same time. Wings of a Flying Tiger was published in June 2018, and Will of a Tiger was released last January. Both books have received excellent reviews and touched many people, including a son of a Flying Tiger who gave his father’s flight jacket to me. I was thrilled to be interviewed on National Public Radio and honored to be a guest speaker at the Flying Tigers WWII Veterans Reunion.

It’s so hard to believe that in two years I have two books published and the third one is on its way. Dreams do come true if one works hard enough. I’m so glad I didn’t give up when the time was hard, the noise was strong, and the odds were against me—a scientist born and raised in China to be a fiction writer.

www.irisyang-author.com

By the way, I’m going to travel to Iceland in August and September. Stay tuned for pictures.

480. Amazing Connections keep coming

Prescott is a city in central Arizona, an hour away from Sedona. I was a little worried that no one would show up for my presentation at Prescott Public Library since I didn’t know a single soul in the area.
I arrived at the library half an hour ahead of time as I’ve always done. For dozens of presentations I’ve given, no one showed up that early; a few times I had to track down the hosts.
But there were half a dozen people when I arrived at Prescott library, and more continued to pour in. In the end, we had forty-four people, the second largest crowd I’ve ever had. And more importantly, I made more amazing connections.
A gentleman who has already heard my talk four times in Sedona and Cottonwood area showed up with a picture. It’s a 600-piece puzzle of a Flying Tiger’s P40 and a fierce tiger flying overhead! This particular airplane “Tomahawk 47” was piloted by Third Squadron flight leader Robert T. Smith.
“The puzzle was done over November and December in 2004,” Mr. Larry Stoffers said, “and it has been hanging on a wall in my den ever since.” He and his wife decided to give it to me and drove an hour to Prescott to do so. “I couldn’t think of any else who might enjoy it more than you.”
Later, I thanked him with a photo of me holding the precious puzzle and the Flying Tiger’s flight jacket I received, he sent me the following message: “I never realized that when I assembled the puzzle so many years ago, the true joy was not when it was finished but now when I see it with you. When I close my eyes, I can envision you flying in the cockpit of that P-40, wearing the Flighting Tiger jacket and having the fierce tiger flying along overhead, protecting your flight as you proceed along your life’s journey and future career as a successful author with your upcoming third book.”
What a heartfelt wish! I felt a lump in my throat. Book promotion is hard; there were times I felt frustrated and alone without any support. Amazing connections like with Mr. Stoffers made my struggle worthwhile.
Another man, Mr. Clayton Kuhles, has contacted me via my website. His neighbor told him about my presentation announced on a local newspaper. When he shared his website, I exclaimed, “Oh, my God.” I know who he is and his work. He runs a mission to recover US airmen who were lost in China-Burman-India theater during WWII. “He has found and documented 22 US aircraft missing since WW II, thereby accounting for 193 US military personnel listed as MIA or KIA. In some cases, Clayton was able to carry out remains of the missing personnel and bring closure to their families (https://www.miarecoveries.org/).”
When I did research for my books, I came across his website. In my second book, Danny Hardy and Birch Bai talked about searching for missing American airmen, although they didn’t have the chance to take on the task. I’m writing the third of the “trilogy,” and in it, I plan to write about the recovery mission.
Clayton attended my presentation, and we talked for hours afterwards.
Amazing connections just keep forming.

http://www.irisyang-author.com

479. Heartwarming story—I’m part of a Flying Tiger’s family!

“In the summer of 1942, Danny Hardy bails out of his fighter plane into a remote region of south-western China. With multiple injuries, malaria, and Japanese troops searching for him, this American pilot’s odds of survival are slim.” This is how the synopsis of Wings of a Flying Tiger begins. The novel is a heroic tale about the rescue of a wounded American pilot (one of the Flying Tigers) in WWII in China.

On June 29, a gentleman attended my talk at Sedona Public Library, bringing in a flight jacket. It belonged to his father, a Flying Tiger, who fought the Japanese in WWII in China as a pilot, just like my hero, Danny Hardy.

After the talk, Mr. Greg Alexander allowed me to wear the flight jacket.

“It fits you,” he said, “and on another level, it really fits you.”

We started to communicate. He told me he was “holding a lump” in his throat when he heard my talk. “You possess a rare level of courage to speak for those who can’t, who are silenced, who have passed…” He thanked me for writing books about the American heroes.

Two days later he finished reading Wings of a Flying Tiger. “My eyes blurred with tears… You reached me, touched me in a way I haven’t felt for ages…”

He continued, “Before sleep, I asked my father’s permission to share his flight jacket with you…” He asked his father, who passed away many years ago, to give him some sign, and he woke up next day by the tapping of a pure yellow bird he’d never seen before on his window. “A bird with wings spoke to me, and I listened.”

He had been offered $5K for the jacket; he had been asked to donate it to a WWII museum; his son was hoping to have it.

Yet, he would give it to me, a person he’s met once in his life.

Greg told me the reason:

The similarity between Danny Hardy and his father is striking: Both were courageous American pilots who were shot down in southern China, and both lost their friends during the mission. They had leg injuries and malaria. Both were rescued by Chinese villagers, who treated them with herbal medicines and sheltered them for several months. In both cases, the Japanese soldiers desperately searched for them…

And the flight jacket played an important role—a Blood Chit was sewed to the back of the jacket. In Chinese, it reads: “This foreigner has come to China to help in the war effort. Soldiers and civilians, one and all, should protect him.” Jasmine Bai, the heroine, recognized Danny as an American pilot because of the Blood Chit.

But giving the precious jacket to me wasn’t the end of the story.

“I will ask you to become my sister. In this way, I can honor my Mother’s wishes and keep Dad’s flight jacket in the family with you!”

He asked me to consider this unusual request.

I didn’t need time to consider. Tears ran down my cheeks. “I’ll be honored to be your sister!” In my second book, Danny Hardy and Birch Bai, a Chinese pilot who participated in the rescue, became sworn brothers. Will of a Tiger is about friendship and brotherhood.

I wrote the books because the Flying Tigers’ stories touched me. I wanted to thank them for their bravery and sacrifice. How could I ever imagine that one day a Flying Tiger and his son would walk into my life and touch me in such a profound way?

On July 4^th, I became the little sister of a Flying Tiger’s son. I’m part of a Flying Tiger’s family. How cool is that?

Official Book Trailer of WINGS OF A FLYING TIGER on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jYXq0LATrWM

Official Book Trailer of WILL OF A TIGER on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5dxAouGQups

http://www.irisyang-author.com

478. Unimaginable dream—being a guest speaker at the Flying Tigers WWII Veterans 78th Anniversary Reunion

Because of my books (Wings of a Flying Tiger & Will of a Tiger), I’ve been invited as a guest speaker at the Flying Tigers WWII Veterans 78^th Anniversary Reunion in San Diego this fall (September 25-29).

I can’t believe it. What an honor! I wrote the novels to thank the American pilots for their bravery, contribution, and sacrifice during WWII in China. Now, in return, the Flying Tigers Association thanks me for writing the books about those American heroes. This is a dream come true—I’ll be with the people so close to the Flying Tigers (Sadly, all the Flying Tigers have passed away, but their family members will be there at the reunion).

Technically speaking, this is not a story of fulfilling dreams since I’ve never dreamed of such a dream.

I was born and raised in China when the country was isolated from the outside world. We were told that America was hell and American soldiers were devils—they were coward and cruel. We were not told that Americans had participated in the war against Japan in China and they had made vital contributions. I had never heard of the Flying Tigers before I came to this country. Never in my wildest dream could I imagine writing books about the American heroes.  

Raised by professors, I’ve always loved reading. But writing was a dangerous career when I was growing up. As famous writers, my grandmother (the first Chinese woman to receive a master’s degree in the UK) and my aunt (she translated Peter Pan, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and other classics into Chinese) were wrongfully accused as Counter-Revolutionary Rightists. I had to choose science—a safer path. I received a Ph.D. in molecular biology from University of Rochester. But fiction writing was beyond my dream.  

When I wrote the books, my dream was to get them published. Writing fiction was hard, especially for someone using a second language and trained as a scientist. Accepted for publication by a traditional publisher was already a tall order; many writers give up such a dream. I pushed on.

I dreamed that my books would touch other people’s hearts as the story of the Flying Tigers touched mine. I did it—many people were moved by my stories; a number of them cried reading the novels, from a 9-year-old boy, to a middle-aged man, to a 90-year-old lady. My books were featured in over a dozen newspapers. Even the prestigious program like National Public Radio recognized my effort and did an interview. But how could I dream that my hard work and struggle would be rewarded and thanked for by the people so close to the Flying Tigers?

“Dream an unimaginable dream; touch people’s hearts, one heart at a time” is my new dream.

PS. The reunion is not open to the public. One has to pay to register, but I’m going to give several presentations in San Diego:

San Diego Public Library, Carmel Valley Branch Library (Sept. 28, 2:30pm-3:30pm)

Alliance of Chinese Americans San Diego/ San Diego Chinese School (Sept. 29, 10am-11am)

San Diego Chinese Historical Museum (Sept. 29, 1:30pm-2:30pm)

For more information check www.irisyang-author.com.

450. I was on NPR!

I was interviewed on WUNC’s The State of Things on Monday, March 11. I talked with Mr. Frank Stasio for an hour about my historical novels (Wings of a Flying Tiger and its sequel, Will of a Tiger), my family experiences related to the books, my writing journey, and how writing changed my life. You can listen to it: http://www.wunc.org/post/dutiful-daughter-finds-her-passion-meet-iris-yang-0

This is from The State of Things:

Iris Yang grew up in China with two parents who were high-achieving educators. They wanted her to be a good student and successful woman, and their passion was biology. She aimed to please them and followed their suggested path.

Yang was one of a few students accepted to the China-United States Biochemistry Examination and Application program, and at 23, she was sent to America with a borrowed $500 and poor English. She went on to study molecular biology and worked with researchers at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She made her parents proud, but she could not let go of a deep-seated desire to pursue one of her first loves: literature.

Meet scientist and author Iris Yang.

As a young kid, Yang spent hot summers sitting next to her dad with his handheld fan reading stories from both China and the West. It was during the Cultural Revolution when literature was dangerous, and China’s Communist leader Mao Zedong had shut down libraries and ordered books to be burned and people to be “re-educated.” One of Yang’s aunts had been sent to a labor camp, so the idea of writing was nothing Yang would even consider until much later in life. After more than a decade in the US, she started to write, and last year she released her debut novel, “Wings of a Flying Tiger.” It tells the story of a World War II pilot who ends up injured and alone in a remote region of China. She infuses real-life events with her personal family history stories from a very dark period in China’s history.

Iris Yang joins host Frank Stasio to talk about her writing and her newest book “Will of a Tiger,” which came out earlier this year. Yang will host several readings in the Triangle. On Saturday, March 16, she will be at the Durham County Library at 10 a.m. and the Chatham Community Library in Pittsboro at 2 p.m. On Sunday, March 17, she will host a reading at the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough. On Saturday, March 23, she will be at the Wake County Public Library in Cary at 3 p.m. For more info: http://www.irisyang-author.com

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Growing up in Wuhan, China during the cultural revolution:

Even though we grew up in a family of professors, we were relatively poor. At the time everybody was poor in China. We grew up without much of anything like even food … Most of the intelligent people were in trouble during that period of time. They were sent to the countryside to get re-educated. Lots of universities were shut down, libraries were closed, bookstores had nothing except political stuff.

On adapting to life in America:

To go from a place without much to a place with so much, that’s easier. If you go the other way around, then it would be difficult. It is a culture shock … The first time I went to a supermarket, I was blown away to see all of that good stuff around, and it looked so fake to me.

On her journey from fear to happiness:

I started writing because I needed help … I read tons of self-help books. Luckily, we have a lot in this country. This particular one said if you write down five positive things a day in 21 days you will be able to switch your mindset from negative to positive … It takes 21 days to change a habit, but it didn’t take 21 days. It took much much longer. I started by jotting down words or simple phrases … But in time, words changed into sentences and then sentences grew to paragraphs and then paragraphs grew to pages.

On the strength her mother showed after a stroke:

After her stroke, she couldn’t use her right hand or right leg. She started to write with her left hand. If you look at her original writing, it was like [a] little kid. But she did it day after day, month after month, year after year. She published four children’s books in China that way.

On the massacre that inspired her debut novel:

The story starts in December 1937 when Japan invaded Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China. In six weeks they killed 300,000 Chinese and raped over 20,000 women, also called the rape of Nanjing. On the verge of this true life massacre, my main character Jasmine Bai returned to Nanking trying to save her parents, but she was too late to save her parents. It was in time for her to witness the horrors. She survived this massacre thanks to a group of Westerners and mostly Americans.

For more info, check: https://www.irisyang-author.com/

 

 

445. My book, Wings of a Flying Tiger, has been featured in a dozen newspapers

Xin Hua Net:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-07/15/c_137324391.htm

China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201807/15/WS5b4a8c95a310796df4df67b7.html

The China Press Weekly:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/TfF6WVxlw8evyXLo4wy5Rg

AsAmNews: https://asamnews.com/2018/07/15/chinese-american-author-debuts-a-novel-on-flying-tigers/

Shanghai Daily:

https://www.shine.cn/archive/feature/art-and-culture/Writer-inspired-by-WWII-Flying-Tiger-story/shdaily.shtml

Global Times:

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1110870.shtml

Shen Zhen Daily:

http://www.szdaily.com/content/2018-07/17/content_21045325.htm

China.org.cn:

http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2018-07/15/content_57059019.htm

The Straits Times: https://straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/five-star-rating-for-tale-of-chinese-villagers-heroic-act

China Daily:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2018-07/21/content_36618523.htm

SPICES OF THE WORDS: https://utamidkusumawati.com/2018/07/15/chinese-american-author-debuts-with-novel-on-flying-tigers/

Wuhan Capital: https://article.wn.com/view/2018/07/21/Wuhanborn_author_releases_debut_novel/

里仁社区酷播 (Clobar/Kuba): http://clobar.com/detail.html?columnId=5bd6f054-23f4-42b0-a6af-fab133a84d94&msgId=71a63ed8-fbfd-4ca4-8380-09bc9a13a958

 

http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/wings-of-a-flying-tiger/media.html

 

444. Fear and Courage

I gave my first presentation about my book and my writing journey at Sedona Public Library. It went really well—a dozen people came to me after the talk and told me that I did a fabulous job and I was a wonderful speaker.

They had no idea that I was terrified of public speaking. When I was offered this opportunity to talk to a group of veterans, I cringed, but said yes anyway. For the next few days I broke out in cold sweat just to think about standing in front of a group of people. And talk!

When I was in school, I hated when teachers asked me questions. I stood there, but no sound came out of my mouth. Not because I didn’t know the answers, but because I didn’t want others to hear my voice. I could literally feel my voice travel up to my throat. Then it was blocked.

I shared my book(s) with three writing groups for several years. I’d never read them! It was always someone kindly offered his or her help to read it for me.

I started reading my book in the groups just a couple of months ago. I did a terrible job! I stammered all over the place. And my heart hammered, and my pulse thickened. It was so embarrassing. But I did not give up.

I kept reminding myself that I’ve overcome so many fears in my life and this is just one more fear to conquer. “Courage is doing something when you’re scared half to death,” said Danny Hardy (the American pilot in my novel). He also said, “Bravery doesn’t mean a lack of fear. It’s knowing that something else is more important than the fear.” Giving presentations about my book and the Flying Tigers is certainly important.

So I turned to books and online resources for help. I watched many videos about the fear of public speaking (number one fear) and even tried online hypnosis. 🙂 It worked. My palm became a bit sweaty when I spoke. But my heart rate was normal! 🙂

Now I’m ready to conquer my next fear: snake. No! I take it back. No need to conquer this fear. It doesn’t interfere with my life. I hike almost every day, knowing the possibility of running into a snake. It certainly happened, more than once or twice. I screamed and ran. Nowadays I’d just run without scream. 🙂

443. My Book Inspired Her!

This’s on yesterday’s Red Rock News. A random person on the street told the newspaper that my book inspired her! “It’s full of heart…” she said (far left). What a pleasant surprise and an honor! Too bad she or the newspaper spelled my name wrong. At least I know it’s my book–Wings of a Flying Tiger 🙂

442. Writer inspired by WWII ‘Flying Tiger’ story

FRESH from the print in June, Chinese American Iris Yang’s English novel “Wings of a Flying Tiger” has been well received by readers and book reviewers.

“It is a heroic tale in which ordinary Chinese risked their lives to rescue and safeguard a downed American pilot in WWII in China,” says Yang, adding that she based the book on the true experience of Tex Hill, the “Flying Tigers” member who was rescued by Chinese villagers.

The “Flying Tigers,” or the American Volunteer Group (AVG), was a band of around 300 pilots and ground staff who volunteered to help China fight invading Japanese troops before the United States officially entered WWII.

The novel is framed in the summer of 1942, when Danny Hardy bails out of his fighter plane into a remote region of western China.

With multiple injuries, malaria and Japanese troops searching for him, the American pilot’s odds of survival are slim.

Jasmine Bai, an art student who had been saved by Americans during the Nanking Massacre, seems an unlikely heroine to rescue the wounded Flying Tiger. Daisy Bai, Jasmine’s younger cousin, also falls in love with the courageous American.

With the help of Daisy’s brother, an entire village opens its arms to heal the Flying Tiger with injured wings, but as a result of their charity the serenity of their community is forever shattered.

“I like fiction writing, especially historical fiction. It allows me to create characters in a historical setting. I enjoy the process — learning the history and producing likable or hateful characters,” Yang is quoted by BookGlow, the leading website on book promotion, as saying recently after the book debuted in June.

It took her three months full time to finish the first draft, but two more years to rewrite again and again until the book was published.

“My heart sank just a little deeper with every passing scene. At times the anguish was almost unbearable. It was all I could do to keep my composure to the chilling end. I recommend this heartfelt read with no hesitation to any admirer of historical fiction,” says Paul Falk in his review of the book on BookGlow.

Yang was born and raised in Wuhan, capital city of central China’s Hubei Province, relocated to America in the 1980s for study, and settled down in North Carolina.

With a PhD in biology, Yang still cherishes a dream of literary writing, which has inspired her to complete her first novel and survive various difficulties and setbacks in life.

“The process of writing has changed my life and made me better all the way through,” says Yang in the major Mandarin newspaper “The China Press.”

Her grandmother studied in the United Kingdom and later became one of the most respected translators in China.

This was the family gene that drove Yang to blossom on the dual tracks of science and literature.

“Writing is hard. If you don’t have a burning desire, don’t do it. But if you are passionate about it, don’t let anything or anyone stop you,” says Yang on BookGlow.

The 254-page fiction published by Open Books has won a five-star Average Customer Review on Amazon.

A sequel named “Will of a Flying Tiger” will be published at the end of this year.

“I’m working on a story based on my grandmother. My grandma’s life was a mix of triumphs and tragedies.

“I’ll try my best to write it down,” says Yang.

https://www.shine.cn/archive/feature/art-and-culture/Writer-inspired-by-WWII-Flying-Tiger-story/shdaily.shtml

441. My book is featured in AsAmNews

Chinese American Author Debuts with Novel on “Flying Tigers”

posted by Utami Kusumawati

Chinese American author Iris Yang struggled with English grammar in writing her first novel, “Wings of a Flying Tiger.” It’s now a bestseller. (Photo courtesy of Iris Yang/writingandwellness.com

Chinese American novelist Iris Yang released her first novel, “Wings of a Flying Tiger”, just last month.

The novel, published by Open Books, centers around heroism and romance in which Chinese villagers rescue the life of a dying American pilot. The novel as reported by Xinhua News has been well-received by Chinese readers and is also a best-seller in the United States.

Yang said the story was inspired by the true story of the Flying Tigers, a group of American volunteer pilots who helped China fight against Japan in the second World War. Creating a fictional story about the Flying Tigers was fueled in part by her gratitude for the help of these American pilots.

“I didn’t read or hear anything about the Flying Tigers until I came to the United States as a graduate student. I was touched once I learned the truth. And the more I read, the more I was touched, “she said to BookGlow in an interview.

Despite having written best-selling English novel, Yang admitted she struggled with the execution of flawless grammar, often stumbling upon little mistakes in her stories.

“Writing in English was beyond my wildest dream. When I wrote my novels, I’m sure I spent more time than most people. I had to constantly check dictionaries – Chinese to English and English to Chinese. Even so, no matter how hard I tried, I still made a grammatical mistake. That frustrated me the most,” she said.

During that hardship, questions often popped up in her mind. She began to doubt her decision. Becoming a novelist in the states often felt out of reach.

“I wish I had grown up speaking English. I wish I had proper education or training. Since I cannot change the past, I just have to work harder,” she said.

Yang admits she fell in love with writing historical fiction — she loved creating characters within a historical setting as well as learning the history itself. The writing process of  “Wings of a Flying Tiger” took more than two years.

“I have no idea how many drafts (it took to write). In those two years, I shared the book, chapter by chapter, with three writing groups. And a retired journalist volunteered to edit my manuscript. It was exciting to write the end, even if it was a rough draft,” she said.

The “Wings of a Flying Tiger” is not Yang’s first crack at fiction, though it’s the first to be published. Prior, she wrote about the self-transformation of an introverted women. The draft of this first novel was never completed even after crafting it for more than ten years.

“I only wrote about 20 percent before I paused. It was too hard. I was too busy. But the idea of finishing the book never left my mind,” she said.

The urge to create and finish a novel was so strong that Yang decided to follow through. In 2010, Yang’s father nearly died because of cancer so she quit from her job and returned to China to take care of her parents. However, after her parents passed away three years later she decided to return to the states.

“I made a decision that most of my friends didn’t agree with. I was going to do what I wanted the most. Traveling, hiking and writing,” she said.

The experience of losing her loved ones taught Yang a valuable lesson — life is too short to be wasted doing something she disliked.

Prior to writing novels, Yang was a postdoctoral fellow of molecular biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, worked at the University of North Carolina and published scientific papers. However, her passion had always been in creative writing.

“I did not want to go back to the laboratory as a scientist, which I was trained to be … my heart wasn’t there. I longed to see the world. I needed to finish the novel I started, not for anyone but myself. Just to see if I could accomplish a tough job. Just to fulfill a dream,” she said.

For her next project, she is planning to finish a story about her grandmother who became the first Chinese woman to have a master degree in the United Kingdom. After completing the study, her grandma returns to China and becomes a professor and accomplished playwright.

“Writing it’s hard. If you don’t have a burning desire, don’t do it. But if you are passionate about it, don’t let anything or anyone stop you,” Yang said.

https://asamnews.com/2018/07/15/chinese-american-author-debuts-a-novel-on-flying-tigers/